What does it say about tennis on TV when even a player has trouble watching? That would be the reaction to Marat Safin's March 25th press conference in this space, but a BBC column by Jonathan Overend has a wildly different interpretation of Safin's words.
The column quotes some of Safin's comments rather selectively, then says that the "The former US Open champion says he never watches tennis because it doesn't interest him." Safin does have a point, it continues, in saying that the style of the Spanish and South American clay-courters is boring ("there's nothing remotely entertaining about watching an all-day slug-fest with minimal footwork," in its words). However, it points out, Safin should realise he has a role to play in the promotion of the game and shouldn't run it down in this fashion.
It would be tough to argue with the last sentence if that was indeed what Safin was doing, but he almost certainly wasn't. Take a look at the transcript:
MARAT SAFIN: You asking me why Ferrero is not popular in Miami or in USA?
Q. USA.
MARAT SAFIN: Because, guys, I think that you have your own players and you like very much your players, the American ones. Nobody really cares about the Spanish players, especially here. Nobody cares about it. Exactly also for the players from other countries. At least there is a lot of people, they know only Agassi, Roddick and Blake. I think it's normal. Also, he is not also popular in Russia. Nobody knows him. Nobody cares about him. The people from Europe, yes, they know him, because he's traveling and he's playing in Europe.
Q. There have been players from Europe who have been very popular here - Becker, Edberg. Do you think he hasn't won enough, or is it his style of play, his demeanor on the court?
MARAT SAFIN: We are talking about little bit different things. For all the respect for Ferrero and a lot of other guys, including me, who didn't achieve the same things as Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker. So this is probably the main reason. Also, you have to see that lately, nobody should know -- I cannot even watch tennis on TV. Nobody shows tennis. And the way they show, there is some matches that nobody cares about them, so who's gonna watch? So how do you want to promote the players? How the people, they gonna understand who is who? They don't know who is who and they don't really care who is who because it's not interesting, because it's boring, and because you cannot even see them on TV.
Q. I guess I would still argue that you won one Slam; Juan Carlos has won one Slam.
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah. But, sorry, where you can see me on TV in the United States? Where? You think that they really care about Safin in a match in Indian Wells first round? Nobody cares. For the same reason. Tennis is so -- they don't promote it very well. They don't get enough hours to show on TV because it's not entertaining anymore. That's the main reason. That's the main reason that the people like us, like Ferrero, Federer and Safin and Roddick -- okay, Roddick, because he is American, but normally, nobody really knows the players and not really interested to watch these kind of matches.
Q. So it's the media's fault?
MARAT SAFIN: I don't know who's fault but definitely not mine. It's somebody who has to deal with -- for example, here's a person from ATP. You can blame them for that, for not promoting the tennis the way it should be promoted and not getting enough hours on the TV. It has to be either certain hours, so at least the people can see sometimes tennis.
Q. I guess I would still argue...
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, it's okay, you can argue. You don't have to tell me.
Q. You're more popular than a Ferrero. Spanish players in general have never been that popular, if you go back, in the States.
MARAT SAFIN: And? What's your point?
Q. I don't know.
MARAT SAFIN: But make your point. You don't know.
Q. Just wondering why. You lived in Spain. Is it something about...
MARAT SAFIN: It's nothing in particular about Spanish players. I mean, the Spanish players, they are quiet, famous enough in Europe. Maybe because their tennis is not really unbelievably attractive, could be one of the reasons. Could be. But also, everybody has different character. But this kind of character that the Spanish people have, maybe they're not -- the people from the States don't like it; they want to see something else. They want to see like maybe a John McEnroe, they want to see Boris Becker, or they want to see big names, more interesting game. They want to see little bit serve and volley and some nice shots. You cannot see that from the Spanish players. Could be this is the reason. I'm not taking away the achievements they had for the last past -- a lot of like, 10 years. Spanish tennis grew up a little bit - quite a lot actually - they have already 10 players in the Top 100. But somehow it's not that attractive for the people. Not for me, I don't really care. But for me, they are tough opponents, but we are not talking about the issue. That's not the issue. It's about how attractive really is it or not.
Q. Do you like to watch the Spanish play?
MARAT SAFIN: I will not even watch tennis if I'm not playing. I had enough with my own problems, and I have enough with my own tennis. I won't go to see the match of... I don't know...
The comments in red relate to the point made in the column; the comments in green relate to Safin pointing out that the presentation of tennis on TV in the US has a role in the popularity and perception of tennis (and tennis players). It's quite clear that the latter is Safin's main point, and most of the red sentences relate to the effects of the problems he describes, rather than to his own personal view of the sport. Yes, he says he stays away from watching tennis when he's not playing -- like it or not, that's true of other players as well. Legend has it that butchers eat less meat than average members of the general population.
On the other issues, the column takes the following quotes: "It's not interesting, because it's boring... The people don't know who is who and they don't really care who is who. They don't get the hours on TV because it's not entertaining anymore... You think they really care about Safin in a match in Indian Wells first round? Nobody cares."
That is a very short, and not exactly representative, sample of what Safin said. These quotes are then used to suggest that this is Safin saying that tennis isn't worth watching. This space, however, would opt for the interpretation that Safin is saying there isn't enough tennis on TV in the US and networks don't pick the right matches to show when there is tennis on. To support this, the following statement: "I cannot even watch tennis on TV. Nobody shows tennis. And the way they show, there is some matches that nobody cares about them, so who's gonna watch?"
Which version sounds fairer to Safin's intent? And which would most fans feel more empathy with?